Internet & Media passionate

5 books for Christmas

I have a ton of books on my Kindle, and use it as an iPod, switching from one reading to another depending on my mood. as winter holidays are coming, it’s time to write a list of my favorite.
Here are 5 books for Christmas that I would recommended, from the 50+ I have read this year.

Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration

by Ed Catmull & Amy Wallace

It’s not easy to talk about you, your business and how you managed it over time. It might be even harder when you’re at the foundation of one of the most amazing entertainment company of the second half of the century.
Ed Catmull hits a home run. His book is fun, humble, easy to read and at the same time a full recap of Pixar’s epic story and a perfect management book.
How Pixar kept its creative DNA alive, how did they overcome the challenge of growing bigger and bigger and what it means for a guy who never thought about becoming the boss but had a real vision about how to follow his dreams.Fantastic personal story, and a lot of anecdotes to share on New Year’s eve.

The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution

by Walter Isaacson

There’s something fascinating about Walter Issacson. He’s a marvelous story-teller, able to write captivating stories about the most dull topic. Computer science and engineers building Silicon Valley? Does not sound really sexy for a good holiday break. Well, Isaacson makes it happen. And for everyone who read the Jobs biography this is the obvious next read, broadening the story from the personal life of Steve to the amazing adventure that gave birth to the Internet and personal computers, building Silicon Valley myth in the middle.A must read for every person involved in the Tech industry.

This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate

by Naomi Klein

I was impressed by Naomi Klein’s ability to give a complete different point of view, solidly argued, over vast topic such as marketing (No Logo) or the US economic and foreign policy in the 70s and its impact on society in following decades (The Shock Doctrine). So I was looking at This Changes Everything with a lot of expectations. Well, be served.
It’s dense, heavily documented, and as usual, it gives a new original outlook on a well discussed topic. It might be, after all, Klein’s trademark: surprising you by offering a total new approach on a well-known topic.You’ll probably won’t read it all at once, but it is definitely one to go through.(PS: a documentary has been produced, for the lazy ones).

Inside the Neolithic Mind: Consciousness, Cosmos, and the Realm of the Gods

by David Lewis-Williams & David Pearce

This one’s the outlier in the list. (My readings are not mainly about Management, Business or Politics, with some exceptions!).
The authors provide an incredible journey back to the ancient times and offer a new take on the Neolithic civilization. A well structured society with believes, religion and well structured social systems. An analysis that also proposes also a new theory pledging the inception of “society” came from the development of religion and the gathering around places dedicated to cult, rather that a settlement due to the development of agriculture.Just incredible. A fantastic journey for the curious minds.

Factory Man: How One Furniture Maker Battled Offshoring, Stayed Local – and Helped Save an American Town

by Beth Macy

The epic story of one man fighting globalization.
It’s about America, it’s about China, it’s a self-made-man story, and it’s well-written. You can’t go wrong with this story of the Bassett family and how the third-generation factory man went on a fight to save its business and all the jobs within.A good way to approach globalization from another angle, while having fun reading.